Credit Card Review

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Discover It Student

The Rich Grad Student

Discover It Student

Discover It Student

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We may earn a commission if approved
Updated February 2, 2026
Signup Bonus
$0
poor
Best Earn Rate
Cash Back
5%
Net Annual Fee
Free!
$0
RGS Wallet
We use this card for
Gas, Dining, Pharmacy

Quick Info

Spend Requirement: $0

Purchase APR Offer: 0% for 15 months (See Terms)

Why we opened it!

This is an excellent starter credit card for students. Double your rewards in your first year!

It is a great way to learn that not every purchase earns the same rewards. Pay attention to the rotating bonus categories and use them strategically to maximize your cash back.

The card offers 5% cash back in rotating categories that are especially useful for graduate students. These often include grocery stores, gas stations, and Amazon.

You will likely start with a low credit limit (often under $1,000), but with on-time payments and low utilization, you can gradually earn higher limits and eventually upgrade to a regular Discover it card.

RGS Value Table

Signup Bonus

Key Metric
poor
Value
$0

Annual Fee

Value
$0

Annual Credits

Value
$0

Net Annual Fee

Key Metric
great
Value
$0

Travel

Key Metric
poor
Cash Back
1%

Grocery

great
Cash Back
5% (up to)

Gas

rgs wallet
Cash Back
5% (up to)

Dining

Key Metric
rgs wallet
Cash Back
5% (up to)

Pharmacy

rgs wallet
Cash Back
5% (up to)

Other Purchases

poor
Cash Back
1%

Lounge Benefits

poor
Value
None

Partner Benefits

poor
Value
None

Misc Benefits

good
Value
Unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of the cash back earned at the end of the first year

Table Key:

Points Value: Average value of points. This applies when points are transferred to a partner hotel or airline for travel
Max Points Value: Our best redemption of points!
RGS Wallet: To indicate why we keep this card in our wallet and what we use it for. It is the highest cash back you can earn across all cards for that specific category.

*Point valuations shown are example redemptions; actual values vary by route, dates, and availability. Results not typical or guaranteed.

Additional Information

**On up to $1500 combined per quarter

Personal advice only. We are not a bank, lender, or financial advisor. Offers change, and banks do not endorse this content. Always read your cardmember agreement and fee schedule before applying or using any card. Use these recommendations at your own risk. You must be 21 years or older, and this website is not intended for undergraduate students. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, which may influence how or where these products appear. We only recommend products we genuinely believe benefit graduate students and decline offers that do not align with that goal.